Bill > H5263

This bill amends the heading of a Rhode Island state law about firearm storage (§ 11-47-60.1) to include the words "Dillon's Law," which appears to be named after a specific incident or individual. The law, which already covers safe storage of firearms, details requirements and penalties for gun owners who do not properly secure their firearms, particularly when children or prohibited persons might access them. The bill maintains existing provisions about criminal storage of firearms, including different degrees of offenses with escalating penalties based on the consequences of unsafe firearm storage. Specifically, the law establishes civil and criminal penalties for firearm owners who do not secure weapons, ranging from fines of up to $250 for a first offense to potential imprisonment for up to five years if a child or prohibited person uses the unsecured firearm to commit a crime or cause injury. The law includes several exceptions, such as when a firearm is illegally taken or used in self-defense, and provides guidance for prosecutors to consider the impact on parents or guardians in accidental shooting cases. The amendment takes effect immediately upon passage and does not substantively change the existing law's requirements, but adds the "Dillon's Law" designation to the section heading.

Justice

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